1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the art of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis ("CAPD") support undergarments. The invention particularly relates to an undergarment which comfortably holds in place a CAPD catheter, and can be worn around the abdomen or hips of a CAPD patient, thus allowing versatility in the concealment of the CAPD catheter while achieving a greater sense of confidence and self-esteem for the CAPD patient.
As is known to those familiar with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis, a surgically implanted catheter provides an opening through which dialysis solution can be instilled into the abdominal cavity of a peritoneal dialysis patient. The surgically implanted catheter is normally fabricated from a soft, flexible tube material. When not being used to introduce or remove fluid, the catheter is capped or otherwise closed off at its end. Since movement of the external portion of the catheter can cause irritation and infection at the exit site, the protruding catheter needs to be secured against the patient's body, thus providing greater protection and comfort.
2. Description of the Related Art
To Applicants' knowledge, the typical CAPD patient secures the protruding catheter to their body by utilizing adhesive tape. To access the catheter, the tape must be removed and then reapplied upon completing the dialysis procedure. This repeated removal and reapplication of adhesive tape causes severe irritation and pain in many CAPD patients.
Several prior U.S. patents provide belts for securing to the CAPD patient the implanted peritoneal dialysis catheter exiting from the abdomen of the patient. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,955,867, issued to Endo, discloses a peritoneal dialysis catheter protector belt comprising a fabric or paper belt or band, which may be disposable, and which is adapted to be fastened around the abdomen of a patient adjacent to the protruding end of a peritoneal dialysis catheter. The belt is equipped with an open-ended pouch which is located on the outer surface of the belt and into which the end of the catheter may be inserted to enclose and protect the end of the catheter and to prevent it from dangling. The belt is not designed to be worn over, and thus cover, the catheter exit site. Moreover, the patent fails to specifically define any fabrics which may be used to fabricate the belt. Further, Applicants have found that a belt having a single pouch on the outer surface of the belt allows the catheter to work its way out of the pouch as the patient moves about throughout the day. This being due to the fact that the pouch fails to hold the catheter in position against the patient's body.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,468,229, issued to Chandler, discloses a belt for a peritoneal dialysis patient having an aperture for receiving and orienting the protruding portion of an implanted catheter toward a plurality of holders along a outer portion of the belt. Chandler broadly discloses that the belt may be made of an elastic material and is designed so that the catheter is fed through an aperture on the inner surface of the belt and exits the aperture at an outer surface and is then placed into a plurality of holders located on the outside of the belt. Although the belt can be worn over the catheter exit site, the patent requires that the patient feed the catheter through the aperture to the outer surface of the belt, where it is secured. The patent broadly discloses that the belt can be fabricated from "an elastic material", but fails to specifically identify such material.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,496,282, issued to Militzer et al., discloses a belt for stabilizing an implanted peritoneal dialysis catheter exiting from the abdomen of a user. The belt includes a body of elasticized fabric designed to encircle the patient, and includes two fasteners with hook and pile features, and a receptacle located on the outer surface of the belt. The belt also includes two fasteners for securing the catheter to the outer portion of the belt. The belt is not designed to be worn over the catheter exit site. Further, although the belt is disclosed as including an elastic material, the patent fails to specifically identify such material.
The subject matter of each of the above U.S. patents is herein incorporated by reference.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome the deficiencies of the prior art by providing a catheter support undergarment which is manufactured from carefully selected expandable material. The undergarment also provides for extremely easy and convenient use by providing a pocket on the inner surface of the undergarment and a fastening and unfastening means which is located at the patient's side when the undergarment is worn. This allows the patient to easily insert the catheter into the pocket and simply wrap the ends of the undergarment around either their waist or hips and attach the ends together at their side. Many CAPD patients are elderly and may have difficulty fastening an undergarment at the back and also may have difficulty feeding the catheter through an aperture or the like to a pocket or securing means on the outer surface of the garment. By locating the pocket at the inner surface of the undergarment, the undergarment also serves to hold the catheter in place against the patient's body. Also, by providing the pocket on the inner surface of the undergarment, the patient is able to completely cover the catheter exit site, thus protecting the site from rubbing against outer garments, belts and the like, while at the same time providing a layer of fabric between the patient's skin and the catheter.